OMG, I am SO THRILLED o get so many reviews on the first day! It's quite the compliment! I'm glad you all liked it! Many thanks to:

Neferius – I loved Kensuke and the third installment in this series will be about him!

Rahhel – I hope you continue to enjoy!

Frost-EVA-04 – Thank you tons! I'm not all that happy with Rei's involvement in this story, personally, but I hope you enjoy her role, as minor as it actually turns out to be.

Okutai – Me too. I loved that scene! I don't know what the manga you mentioned is, so don't worry—no copying!

keyblade-00 – Here it is!

Genesis D. Rose – thank you! I actually have all the chapters done already and was only going to wait for reviews.

Also guys, I'm going to have another side story-thing called "Other People's Thoughts—PtLoOF" that has little insights to the characters thoughts. You can choose whether to check it out or not because it really isn't vital to the story at all.

Anyhow, here's the story!

SECOND CHAPTER OF FIRST PART

"Because we're best friends."

"Asuka, what's wrong? You've been so quiet…" Shinji said sadly, as if her lack of happiness deeply affected him. In fact, it was not happiness she lacked, but understanding. I like Shinji? Asuka thought. We're supposed to be best friends…

Upon learning that she liked Shinji from Hikari earlier that day, Asuka had been deep in thought. She hadn't realized, or at least, admitted, that she had special feelings for Shinji until that moment. Asuka didn't really understand how it had happened, but at least it explained why she thought so highly of him. Even though he's a real idiot, I've always liked him more than anyone else. Asuka thought. This shouldn't be affecting me this much. It shouldn't have been such a surprise…

"Asuka? Why won't you answer me?" Shinji's exasperated voice cut through her thoughts like a hot knife in butter.

"What…?" she lazily replied. He looked incredibly confused. Asuka realized that she hadn't spoken for a long time—since she had run out of the room. "Er, what is it Shinji-kun?"

"Are you okay?" He asked, eyes wide.

She nodded. "Of course I'm fine. I was just thinking."

"About what?" Shinji looked relieved.

Asuka rolled her eyes and replied truthfully. "About a boy."

Shinji looked affronted, and then a look of deep sadness crossed his features, so terribly deep that Asuka actually took a step back. "Oh." He finally said, half-heartedly.

"Oh?" Asuka repeated. "What's the problem?"

"It's just…" Shinji trailed off, looking hopelessly at the other side of the street. "You were concentrating so hard on whoever this guy may be."

Asuka was confused. "Why would that be a problem?"

Shinji looked down. "It's…It's not a problem. Never mind."

"But…alright." Asuka said, looking down as well.

They walked the rest of the way to Shinji's house in silence.

"Shinji! Asuka!" Called Yui Ikari as her son and his best friend entered the apartment. The children put down their bags and walked into the kitchen, where Mrs. Ikari was baking cookies. "Look at what I'm making, Shinji! Your favorite!"

Shinji did look, and his face lit up. "Ginger cookies?" He cried, turning around and taking both of Asuka's hands in his. "Mother is making ginger cookies, Asuka!" he cheered. Asuka smiled and blushed at the contact. Shinji suddenly stopped smiling, staring into her eyes. Asuka was worried that it was because she was red, but thankfully it wasn't that.

"Mum…what's the occasion? Hey, and why are you home so early?" Shinji asked nervously.

"…Weeell…" Yui said, equally nervous, "I'm springing this information on you: you're Father and I are going out…and I hope you're not mad at me…?" She said, taking the plate of cookies in one hand, pushing it towards her son for a second, winking, while opening the oven with the other hand, and put the cookies inside to bake. Ah, yes, thought Asuka, that's just like Mrs. Ikari to bribe her son with cookies. What a funny woman!

"When are you leaving? Where are you going?" Shinji asked, staring resolutely at the oven. Yui looked proudly at her son, and Asuka looked nervously at him, or rather, their still clasped hands. Shinji and Yui had been too wrapped up in bribery to notice he was still holding them.

"As soon as these yummy ginger cookies are done and your Father gets home. We were told this morning that we had to go to a convention out of town. It'll go on until tomorrow afternoon, so we're getting a hotel room and we'll be back around dinnertime Saturday. "Yui moved towards the counter. "Since I won't be home to make you dinner, I'm leaving some money for you to order in! There's enough for you too, Asuka." Yui winked again, while Asuka sweatdropped. Shinji looked sheepishly at the money.

"Urm…so I'll be alone…all night?" He squeaked. Shinji hated being alone. His hands were clammy. Asuka blinked rapidly, as if to clear her head.

"Well, if Asuka-chan doesn't mind staying over?" Yui looked hopefully at Asuka. Shinji had turned around to look at her, and seemed to realize he was holding her hand. He dropped them, blushing lightly, and instead moved his own in front of his face, looking like he was praying for her to agree. Her mind, like her hands, were out of Shinji's grasp, and a sense of calm swept over her.

"Yeah, okay." Asuka said, to the cheers of the other two. She grinned. "Do you have any packing left to do?" She inquired after Shinji's mother. The woman struck a shocked, dramatic pose for a second before running off into the bedroom she and her husband shared, calling "Yeeees!" back to them. They sighed simultaneously.

"Lets go play some video games." Said Shinji, walking into the living room, followed by a nodding Asuka. He got out a combat game and Asuka and Shinji slipped right into the fight with practiced ease. They had been playing for three minutes when Yui left her room with a green suitcase in her arms. She set it down on the couch next to Asuka and sat to watch. About seven minutes later, she got up to check on the cookies. Shinji paused the game.

"Are they done yet?" he asked. The woman smiled brightly at her son and nodded. Shinji jumped up, Asuka following him again. I'd probably follow Shinji to the end of the world, thought Asuka, blushing faintly, or anywhere, so long as I was with him. How stupid!

Yui pulled the cookies out at the same moment as Gendo Ikari entered the house. She put the cookies on the counter and turned off the stove, finishing just as Gendo walked over to the group. He gave his wife a kiss and patted each of the children's heads. Shinji and Asuka looked up at him with dumbfounded faces. How in HELL did they time that so perfectly? That was…so odd! They must have a choreographer or something!(AN: No, just a silly authoress!)

"Ready to go?" Gendo asked of Yui. She nodded, motioning to the suitcase on the couch.

"Are you ready?" she asked.

He shook his head irately. "Of course not, I just got home!" he replied, in an annoyed tone of voice. They bickered for a few moments before Shinji cut in.

"Um…If you haven't packed yet, shouldn't you go do that now?" he asked his father nervously, running his hand through his hair. Shinji and his father had never had the best relationship for reasons unknown to any, though Asuka presumed that it was their differences in character and morals that set them apart.

Gendo looked at his son, surprised. "That is true." He said, before exiting to his bedroom. He was followed by his wife shortly afterwards.

"You can start eating the cookies now, if you like." She said before going to help her husband. As soon as she left, Shinji—who had been diligently been following his mother with his eyes—glomped the plate of cookies.

"Yay for cookies!" The boy cheered. Asuka laughed. She took the plate from him into the living room. Shinji walked directly behind her, leaning down with his head on her shoulder, staring adoringly at the ginger cookies. Asuka warmed up. Shit. So is everything I enjoyed before going to make me feel all weird like this? I mean, I always liked it too much when he did things like this, but now, will I get feverish from the slightest touch?

She set the plate on the floor and sat down, taking one of the warm cookies, this time followed by Shinji. Would he do the same for me? Asuka thought, hopefully. They bit into the ginger cookies at the same moment and let out loud moans at how good it was.

Yui, mistaking the moans to be of displeasure, stuck her head out of the bedroom with a mix of worry and surprise etched on her face. When she saw the children she smiled, doubts proved wrong by the hand motions they were making. "Good cookies, eh?" she said after a moment. The children nodded. Yui returned to her room while Gendo packed the last of his toiletries into a metal suitcase. (AN: Instead of Adam in the good ol' metal suitcase—toiletries! Ha!)

"I'm ready." He said, grabbing the suitcase and leaving the room. He walked up to the children on the pretense of grabbing his wife's suitcase, but nicked a cookie in the process. Shinji glared at his father, who smirked back, glasses glinting under the hard light of a nearby lamp, without Gendo actually moving his head more than normally happens when breathing. Yui broke the staring contest by dragging her husband to the door.

"Bye kids!" She called as she shut the door, and then there was silence.

They were all alone in the apartment. Shinji looked up at her while nibbling on one of the ginger cookies. Asuka also ate her cookie slowly, staring right back at him. They sat in absolute silence for a few minutes before starting up the game again.

There's definitely some tension now, Asuka thought, because we aren't speaking. Usually we can't shut up.

Shinji didn't seem oblivious to this fact, though he had wiped his face clear of any and all emotions.

"So…"Shinji said to Asuka, still looking straight at the TV. "So, who is this guy you were thinking about?" he asked, voice lacking any confusion or feeling. Asuka was surprised.

"Er, why do you want to know?" She asked back. He sighed.

"Because. Because we're best friends."

Asuka was nervous. What can I tell Shinji? That I was 'concentrating so hard' on him? I have to…lie. "You—you wouldn't know him."

"So? Tell me about him anyway." Shinji was still watching the screen, even though Asuka had paused it. She sighed, thinking quickly.

"He's…not real." She decided.

"What?" Shinji cried, surprised, finally looking at her. She blushed.

"I didn't want to tell you because it's so stupid. I had a weird dream last night, and then the same one during class, about this really handsome guy, and—"

"If you had sex with him or something, I'd rather not hear." Shinji said. They both cringed, but for different reasons.

"Of course not! I'm not a pervert like you, having a hard-on just because it's morning! No, we just went on a date, and he was really good-looking, and he did try to rape me but I woke up in time, so there!" she said very fast, using a dream she had months ago as her base.

"So, I guess we both had…erotic dreams last night? Because yours would have probably become quite…nude if you hadn't woken up." Shinji looked less than pleased to say it. They both shivered, and again it was for reasons as different as night and day.

"Shinji! I said he was trying to RAPE me, not that we were going to have sex! Maybe being raped turns you on or something…I bet your dream was about you being a mass rapist and getting lots of booty or something, eh?" She laughed, but Shinji looked annoyed.

"No. It wasn't with more than one person—"

"But it was rape?" She cut in.

"No! It was romantic…and out of this world…" he grinned hungrily, and Asuka found herself blushing deeply. "…and completely wanted—yes, by both parties." Shinji knew what she had wanted to ask before she had voiced it. He sounded irritated, and somewhat disappointed, as if he wished it was real. Maybe Shinji loves this person? Asuka felt jealous, and tried to squash it.

"Did you think you were truly in love?" she whispered.

"Nah, I knew I was. I always have dreams about—" Shinji stopped abruptly, blushing. Asuka colored too, her jealousy rising again. She did nothing to stop it and it wrapped itself around her like a blanket and seeped through her bones.

"So, is she real? Is she really pretty, Shinji-kun?" She asked harshly and sarcastically.

"…Yes…" Shinji squeaked, nervous and blushing harder.

"She's both? Well, tell me, who is she?" Asuka forcibly questioned him.

"Er, I don't love her in real life, I don't think…!"

"Tell me who she is!" Asuka wailed.

"NO!" Shinji yelled. They both were surprised. "I-I, I mean, I'd rather not say." There was a long silence.

"Fine." Asuka said finally. "At least I know it's not Ayanami or Hikari, since you only met that Rei girl today. And you wouldn't want to encroach onto Touji's property with Hikari…though I guess that doesn't stop you from dreaming about her…PLEASE say it's not Hikari…?" She screeched. That would be awful!

"No! I'd never even consider her! Do you think I'd betray Touji like that?" Shinji asked. Asuka was so relieved it wasn't her friend that Shinji loved, but vowed to herself to someday find out who the girl of his dreams was. She was also quite glad and distracted because Shinji had proved to her that Touji liked Hikari back. She decided to call Hikari later and tell her the magnificent news.

"No, I didn't expect it of you, but how was I to be certain? Anyway, let's drop it and get back to the game." Asuka said, surprising herself.

Shinji readily agreed, and they resumed the game.

They had spent much of the afternoon playing. Afterwards, Shinji said he was going to take a shower, and Asuka decided to use her phone.

First she called her parents and left a message telling them where she was. Asuka's parents weren't often home until around dinner time, since their jobs were demanding. Then she dialed Hikari's cellphone number (so her sisters or father couldn't pick up another phone and eavesdrop!).

The phone rang twice before she heard Hikari's voice on the other end. "Hello, who is this?"

"It's me, Asuka. I have some good news for you!" Asuka said happily.

"Oh? Tell me, then?" Hikari said slowly, preparing herself for the impact of whatever her friend could have to tell her.

"Touji really does like you! Shinji-kun proved it!" Asuka squealed.

"NANI?" Hikari screamed back. Asuka cringed and held the phone away from her ear for a second. She could hear Hikari's family yelling at her for being so loud. "He does? How'd Shinji 'prove' it?" Hikari said excitedly after a minute.

"Well…it's a bit embarrassing, but just try not to laugh at me." Asuka sighed. She heard Hikari hold her breath. "On the walk home with Shinji today, I was really quiet so he asked me what was on my mind. I told him 'a boy', so later in the day he asked me which boy I had been thinking so seriously about—"

Hikari cut her off. "He was jealous!" Asuka blushed.

"Shut it! Anyway, I lied and said it was a guy I had a dream about last night and during class. I said the guy was going to rape me, and Shinji commented on how both of our dreams were perverted, since he…he had a…he had a hard-on this morning when I came to wake him up." Asuka said really fast. Hikari gasped.

"Nani? He's such a pervert!" Hikari said, in a tone of voice that made it sound like she was afraid Shinji's indecent thoughts might infect her.

"I know! So I was asking him who he was dreaming about, because I cornered him into admitting she was real. He wouldn't tell me, so I said that I was glad that it couldn't be Rei Ayanami because she just moved here today or you because he wouldn't want to infringe on Touji's property." Asuka was certain Hikari was blushing.

"You really said that?"

"Uh-huh. Anyway…here's where I'm sure you'll be really embarrassed." Asuka said. She heard the shower turning off. "I'll have to be quick with this, Shinji'll be here any minute, I'm at his house—don't interrupt." She said hastily. "I was nervous it actually was you because he can dream about you even if he's too polite to steal you from Touji, and he said," Asuka halted for a second so her friend could get ready. "Shinji said he would never even consider you, asking me if I really thought he'd betray Touji like that, meaning that Touji DOES like you or else his close friends wouldn't consider that a betrayal!" Asuka said happily, practically whispering because she could hear Shinji walking into the room.

"OH MY GOD!" Hikari screamed again. Asuka quickly told Hikari to call her mobile phone later in the day, when she'd come to terms about it. Then she hung up and turned to Shinji, smiling brightly.

Shinji was in only a towel, his hair wet and plastered to his forehead, looking at her worriedly. Her smile faltered as she took in his appearance, blushing. "Eh, why aren't you wearing anything?" She asked meekly, looking up at him from her seat on the floor.

"Never mind that." Shinji said, blushing too. "Touji's gonna be really mad at me, you know." He said awkwardly. "I shouldn't have said anything."

"How long were you listening exactly?" Asuka asked, fearful that Shinji had heard her warn Hikari not to interrupt her after mentioning that she was at his house. It was a suspicious thing for her to have said, and could tell Shinji that she and Hikari had been talking about him.

"Just since you told Hikari I wouldn't consider her." He said, and Asuka made sure not to sigh or look relieved. "If Touji finds out he'll kill me. He had me promise not to share anything romantic he says on the day we became friends." Shinji said it calmly, like he was stating an irrelevant fact.

"Well, he probably won't find out; do you expect Hikari to ask him about it?" Asuka asked offhandedly. She was still a bit preoccupied staring at Shinji. He was blushing profusely, clutching the towel to himself as if it was a flotation device and he couldn't swim.

Shinji wasn't muscular in the least. He was lean and not all that tall, though he was towering over her at the moment. Asuka had never really been too interested in the buff, physically strong men, and was secretly very glad Shinji was the way he was. He's perfect as is, Asuka thought slowly. She stood up.

Asuka was about the same height as Shinji when she stood. He watched her get up uncertainly. "Your hair is messed up again." She explained casually, before running her fingers gently through it. Shinji's eyes were wide and he had stopped breathing. Asuka suddenly was overly aware that he was only wearing a towel. She stepped back and tugged on her skirt nervously. "Go get dressed, will you?" She snapped, turning around and crossing her arms in front of her chest and staring at nothing.

Shinji stuttered for a second before backing out of the room. Asuka slumped as soon as she heard the door to his bedroom close. She kept seeing his dark blue eyes widen in surprise, over and over in her mind, remembering the feeling of him tense under her touch, hearing his breath catch. It's going to be a long night…Asuka sighed.